Wiring terminal for electrical



March 11, 194] H. HUBBELL WIRING TERMINAL FOR ELECTRICAL FITTINGSmamrzou I NVENT R Original Filed Sept. 20, 1957 ATTORNEYS.

Reissue! Mar. 11, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WIRING TERMINALFORELECTRICAL FITTINGS Harvey Hubbell,

Original No. 2,216,740,

rial No. 164.632, Septe Long Hill, Conn.

dated October 8. 1940, Se-

mber 20, 1937. Application for reissue November 16, 1940, Serial No.

16 Claim.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in electricalfittings, and has particular relation to a wiring terminal forelectrical fittings.

An object of the invention is to provide a wiring terminal by means ofwhich wiresmay be quickly and securely attached toor connected with anelectrical fitting and without wrapping them about binding screws, butif for any reason it is desired to wire them in the conventional mannerthe screws can be backed away from their support, the wires wrappedaround them under the heads of the screws andthen clamped by tighteningthe screws. 7

Another object is to provide a means having the characteristics statedand which is of simple and economical construction.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a considerationof the following detailed description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing wherein a satisfactory embodiment of the inventionis shown. However. it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations andmodifications as fall within the spirit of the invention and the scopeof the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. .1 is a front elevational view of a wall receptacle having theinvention incorporated therein, parts being broken away to show theconstruction; 7

Fig.2 is a-rear plan view of the receptacle;

Fig. 3is a view looking into the body or forward portlon'oi thereceptacle, the back closure plate being omitted;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along the plane of the line4-4 of Fig. 3 but through the complete receptacle and showing wiresconnected with the receptacle contact members; I

Fig. 5 is a detailed side elevational view, on an enlarged scale,showing the terminal; and

Fig. 6 is a'detalled sectional view taken along the line 66 voi Fig. 3.

While the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing and hereindescribed as embodied in a wall receptacle it is to be understood thatthe invention is not limited to such an application as it may be used inother types oi electrical fittings. In the drawing a receptaclegenerally designated III is shown as including a forward or body portionI I and a rear or closure portion l2 each formed, as for example bymolding, of suitable insulating material. The

mentioned parts are provided with web portions I3 and H which in theassembled device abut as shown in Fig. 4 and the parts may be securedtogether as by a screw or rivet l5 extending through member l2 .and theusual mounting yoke 32 against which its head |5a seats. The forward endis spread or riveted over as shown at lib and the forward portion of therivet is drilled and tapped as shown at lie to receive the securingscrew of the usual finishing or face 10 plate, not shown.

Mounted on the body ii are a pair of similar contact members l8 and I1each at its respective ends carrying yieldable resilient or springcontacts I 8 positioned to be engaged by contact blades of attachmentplug caps inserted through entrance slots I! in the forward face of thebody H. Intermediate its ends body H is provided with similar recessesand 2| which are somewhat wedge shaped'or tapered in transverse sec- 20tion, and which open through the sides of the body. Intermediateportions 22 and 23 of the contact members l6 and I1 respectively spanthe open'ends of the recesses 20 and 2| at the sides of body Ii.

Such intermediate portions of the contact members are of considerabledepth being of much greater width than the adjacent bar-like portions ofthe contact members as shown in Fig. 5 and their central portions arealso ofiset outwardly from the ends of the body recesses 20 and 2| asindicated at 24. The sides 24 of the mentioned intermediate oflsetportions are inclined as shown bestin Fig. 6 and rest against thesimilarly inclined side walls 20a and Ma of the recesses 20 and 2|outside the longitudinally extending narrow grooves or recesses 9 in thebody .II which receive. the narrow coniiec bars lid and Ila of thecontactimembeis cqn necting the intermediate portions 22 and 23 with 49the spring contacts l8. Through each of the portions 22 and 23 is passedthe shank of a screw 25, and theheads of such screws are disposed at theouter sides of such portions whereby the screws may be operated fromoutside body II. It is to be noted that the shanks oi .the screws extendinto the recesses 20 and 2i, and within such recesses the said shanksare threaded into floating clamping members 26.

Members 26 (see Fig. are wedge shaped 50 having inclined edgescorresponding with the incline of the side walls of the recesses 20 and2| whereby said members may not turn about the screw shank in therecesses. Each member 26 has its intermediate portion offset or bentjecting toward such oflsets. The heads of screws- 25 are adjacent theouter sides of the body II and it will be clear that on turning of thescrews in one direction or the other the members 26 on the screw shankswill be moved away from or drawn toward the offset portions 22 of thecontact members.

The rear or closure plate l2 of the receptacle is provided with openings29 entering the receptacle immediately in the rear of or at the innerside of the ofiset portions of the contact members i6 and I1 andadjacent inclined offset walls 24. These openings are in pairs sorelated that when wires 30 are inserted through a pair of the openingsone wire will have its end disposed at one side of the shank of screw 25while the other wire will have its end located at the other side of theshank of the same screw.

When installing the receptacle it is but necessary to strip theinsulation from the ends of the wires to be connected with the contactmembers 16 and I1 as the ends 30 of wires 3| are stripped. Then suchstripped ends 30 are inserted through the openings 29 into thereceptacle and enter between the offset portions 22 and 23 of thecontact members and the floating members 25, they being guided by theinclined offsets 24. The screws 25 are then tightened and draw thefioating members 26 toward the contact members in a manner whereby thestripped ends 30 of the wires are clamped between the contact membersand the floating members. Owing to the ofisets 21 and the ribs 28 theclamped or gripped ends of the wires are crimped or bent as shown inFig. 4 and so are held against casual release and are prevented fromturning. This gives sufficient grip on the wires that it is unnecessaryto wrap them around the binding screw as is now common practice, but iffor any reason it is desired to wire them in the usual or conventionalmanner, as the head of the binding screw is exposed for manipulationfrom the side of the body, it can be backed away from the bar, the baredportion of the wire wrapped around the screw and then clamped betweenthe head and member by tightening the screw. This conventional way ofconnecting the wire to the fitting can thus be used if the electricianis unfamiliar with the new way of wiring by inserting the wire from theback. It can also be used if it is desired not to cut the wire in thewall box. This may be done by merely removing the insulation from aportion of the wire and then wrapping the exposed portion about thescrew under the head without cutting the wire and tightening up thescrew. In this way the wire is not cut or broken but is continuedthrough the box.

As the stripped ends of the wires are inserted in the manner describedthey engage the inclined sides 24' of the offset contact portions andare guided inwardly toward the shank of the screw 25. In this way thewire ends are brought close to the screw shank whereby the maximumclamping effort or leverage is obtained and exerted to securely hold thewires in engagement or contact with the members [6 and i1, and there islittle danger of bending clamping members 26. It is noted that therelatively wide contact portions 22 and 2! stop short of the bottoms ofthe recesses 20 and 2| whereby when the wires are properly orcompletelyinserted into place between such contact portions and thefloating member- 26 the extreme ends of the wires are Y visible from theexterior oi. the receptacle, they being exposed below ends 34 of thecontact portions 22 and 22 as shown in Fig. 5. Thus it is very easy forthe electrician to see whether the wires have been inserted to theproper position, or that is, far enough to make sure they are properlygripped or fastened when the screw is tightened.

Across the back or rear of the receptacle extends the mounting strap oryoke 32 which may be of any or the usual construction. Receptacleportion I2 is built up between this strap and the openings 29 as shownat 33 whereby in the event that a 'slight extra amount of the wire hashad the insulation stripped therefrom such exposed portion of the wireis kept from contact with the mounting strap.

From the above it will be understood that when making an installationinvolving the new terminal the electrician is not required to wind thelead-in wires about terminal posts and then tighten the latter, but, asindicated above, they can be wired in the usual manner if desired bybadking the head of the screw away from the bar, wrapping the wirearound the screw and tightening the screw. He merely inserts through theopenings 29 the ends of the wires from which the insulation has beenstripped, and when the extreme ends of such wires may be seen beyond theends 34 of the portions 22 and 23 of the contact members the wires arein place, and after the screws 25 are tightened the proper connectionshave been made. It will also be seen that a single screw secures bothwires thus reducing the work required in making the connections. As theends of the wires are crimped in by the ribs 28 the wires are securelyheld. It will thus be seen that with my improved wiring terminal thenecessary connection to a fitting may be quickly and securely made.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. In an electrical fitting, a body of insulating material having arecess therein opening through a side thereof, a contact bar on saidbody including a portion spanning the open side of said recess, saidspanning portion of the bar comprising a relatively wide portion, ascrew passing through said portion to one side of the bar proper andhaving its shank in the recess, a floating member on the screw withinthe recess and shiftable by the screw to clamp a wire against said barportion, said body having an opening positioned for the insertion of awire end between said floating member and said bar portion, said recessbeing of such depth as to expose the end of said wire below saidrelatively wide bar portion when the wire is fully inserted into placebetween the member and bar portion, and said bar portion bein offsetoutwardly with respect to the recess and having its sides inclined todirect inwardly toward the shank of said screw any wire inserted throughsaid op ning.

2. In an electrical fitting, a body of insulating material having arecess therein opening through a side thereof, a contact bar including aportion spanning the open side ofsaid recess, a screw passing throughsaid spanning portion of the bar and having its shank in said recess, afloating member on the screw within the recess and shiftable by thescrew to clamp a wire against said bar portion, said body having anopening positioned for the insertion of a wire therethrough into apositionbetween said member and said bar portion, and said bar portionbeing offset outwardly with respect to the recess and having its sidesinclined to direct inwardly toward the shank of said screw any wireinserted through said opening.

3. An electrical fitting comprising a'body of insulating materialhaving-a transversely extending tapered recess opening through one sidethereof, a contact in said body including a bar member extending acrosssaid recess, a floating member in the recess at one side of said barmember and guided by the sides of the recess, a binding screw in therecess accessible for operation through the opening at the side of thebody, said screw extending through one of the members and threaded inthe other member to clamp the free ends of a plurality of lead wiresbetween said members, and one of said members being offset on oppositesides of the screw to provide guide shoulders for the free ends of thelead wires and arranged with said offsets seated against the side wallsof the recess.

4. An electrical fitting comprising a body of insulating material havinga transversely extending tapered recess opening through one sidethereof, contacts in said body including a bar member extending acrosssaid recess and having an oflset portion in the recess providinginclined shoulders seated against the sides of the recess, a floatingmember in the recess at the open side of said offset portion and guidedby the side walls of the recess, a binding screw in the recessaccessible for operation through the opening at the side of the body,said screw extending through one of said members and threaded into theother member to clamp the free ends of a plurality of lead wires betweensaid members, and the inclined side walls of the ofiset portionproviding guides for the free ends of the lead wires to guide theminwardly toward the screw when they are inserted between the members.

5. An electrical fitting comprising a body of insulating material havinga transversely extending recess opening through one side thereof,contacts in the body connected by a bar portion located in and extendingacross the recess, a floating member in the recess at one side of thebar member and guided by the sides of the recess, a binding screw in therecess accessible for operation through the opening at the side of thebody, said screw extending through one of said members and threaded intothe other member to clamp the free ends of one or more wires betweenthem, and one of said members having an offset portion providinginclined guide walls on opposite sides of the screw to guide the freeends of the wires inwardly toward .the screw as they are insertedbetween the members.

6. In an electrical fitting, a body of insulating material having arecess therein opening through a side thereof, a contact bar on saidbody including a portion spanning the open side of said recess, saidspanning portion of the bar compris- -ing a relatively wide portion, ascrew passing through said portion to one side of the bar proper andhaving its shank in the recess, a floating member on the screw withinthe recess and shiftable by the screw to clamp a wire against said barportion, said body havingan opening positioned for the insertion of awire end between said floating member and said bar portion, said recessbeing 01 such depth as to expose of said wire below said relatively widebar portion when the wire is fully inserted into place between themember and bar portion, and said the end bar portion being offsetoutwardly with respect to the recess and having its sides arranged toguide any wire inserted through said opening to clamping position.

7. In an electrical fitting, a body of insulating material having arecess therein opening through a side thereof, a contact banincluding aportion spanning the, open side of said recess,'a screw passing throughsaid spanning portion of the bar and having its shank in said recess, afioating sides arranged to guide any wire inserted through said openingto clamping position.

8. An electrical fitting comprising a body of insulating material havinga transversely extend through one side thereof, a contact in said bodyincluding a bar member ex- ,tending across said recess, a floatingmember in the recess at one side of said bar member and guided by thesides of the recess, a binding screw against the sides of the recess, afloating member in the recess at the open side of said offset portionand guided by the side walls of the recess. a binding screw in therecess accessible for operation' through the opening at the side of thebody, said screw extending through one of said members and threaded intothe other member to clamp the free ends of a plurality of lead wiresbetween said members, and the side walls of the offset portion providingguides for the free ends of the lead wires to guide them when they areinserted between the members.

10. An electrical fitting comprising a body of insulating materialhaving a transversely extending recess opening through one side thereof,contacts in the body connected by a bar portion an ofi'set portionproviding guide walls on opposite sides of the screw to guide the freeends of the wires as they are inserted between the members.

11. An electrical fitting comprising a body of insulating materialincluding a back wall, a contact member in said body. means forconnecting a lead wire to said member comprising a binding iii , ber andoperable by the screw, and said back wall of the body having an openingfor insertion of a lead wire from the .back of the body into positionbetween the contact member and the clamp to be clamped to the member bymanipulating said screw.

12. An electrical fitting comprising a body of insulating materialincluding a back, wall and having a recess opening through its side'wall forwardly of said back wall, a contact member in said body, meansfor connecting a lead wire to said member comprising a binding screw insaid recess and exposed for operation from the side of the body, saidscrew being retractible outwardly from the contact member to permitwrapping of a lead wire about the screwbetween the head and the outerside of the contact member through the open sideoi the recess and thenclamping to the member by tightening the screw, a floating clampingmember in and guided by the recess on the opposite side of the contactmember and operable by said screw, and said back wall of the body havingan opening leading to said recess for insertion of a lead wire from theback of the body into position between the contact member and thefloating member to be clamped to the contact member by manipulation ofsaid screw.

13. An electrical fitting comprising a body of insulating materialincluding a back wall, a contact member in said body, means forconnecting a lead wire to said member comprising a binding screw in themember exposed for operation at the side of the body and retractibleoutwardly from the contact member to permit wrapping of a lead wireabout the screw in the usual manner between the head and the outer sideof the contact member and then clamping to the member by tightening thescrew, a floating clamping member on the opposite side of the contactmember andoperable by the screw, said back wall 01' the body beingprovided with an opening therethrough for insertion. of 'a lead wirefrom the back-of the body into position between, the contact member andthe floating clamp to be clamped to the member by manipulation of saidscrew from the side of the body, and said opening being of a size toguide the wire to clamping position and confine it to this positionduring the clamping operation.

14=.'An electrical fitting comprising a body of insulating materialincluding a back wall and having a recess opening through its side wallforwardly of said back wall, a contact member in said body, means forconnecting a lead wire to said member comprising a binding screw in saidrecess and exposed for operation from the sideoi the body, said screwbeing retractible outwardly from the contact member to permit wrapping01' a lead wire about the screw between the head and the outer side ofthe contact member through the open side of the recess and then clampingto the member by tightening the screw, a floating clamping member in andguided by the recess on the opposite side. of the contact member andoperable by the screw, said back wall of the body having an openingtherethrough leading to said recess for insertion of a lead wire fromthe back or the body into position between the contact member and thefloating member to be clamped to the contact member by manipulationofthe screw from the side of the body, and said opening being of a sizeto guide the wire to clamping position and confine it to this positionduring the clamping operation.

15. An electrical fitting comprising a body of insulating materialincluding a back wall, a contact member in said body, means forconnecting a lead wire to said member comprising a binding screwextending through said member and having a head exposed for operationirom the side oi the body, said screw being retractible to move ontightening the screw, clamping means operable by the screw at theopposite side oi said member for securing a lead wire to the member,

and said back wall of the body having an opening for insertion 01' alead wire from the back of the body into position between the contactmember and the clamping means to be connected to the member bymanipulation of said screw from' one side of the body.

16. An electrical fitting comprising a body of insulating materialincluding a back wall, a contact member in said body, means forconnecting a lead wire at the outer and inner sides of said memberincluding a binding screwin the member having a head exposed foroperation from one side of the body, said screw being retractible tomove the head outwardly from the contact member to permit wrapping of alead wire about the screw between the head and the outer side of thecontact member in the conventional manner and then clamping to themember by the head on tightening of the screw, a floating clampingmember on the opposite side of the contact member and operable by thescrew, and said back wall of the body having an opening for insertion ofa lead wire from the back oi the body into position between the clampand the member to be connected to the member at the rear of said memberby manipulation of the screw from the side of the body.

HARVEY HUBBELL.

